The Howard University Graduate School proposes to continue its focus on the development of a new cadre of biomedical scientists at the institution. To this end, the MBRS SCORE program is requesting support for 18 new projects from faculty who have not previously participated in the MBRS Program. Seventeen of these new projects are from junior faculty (non-tenured), several of whom have just joined the faculty this academic year. These investigators are from five basic science and two clinical departments in the College of Medicine, as well as from two undergraduate departments with strong graduate training programs. This application contains both regular (18) and pilot (4) projects. [unreadable] [unreadable] The mantra for the proposed program is "Roadmap to R01 Support." Building on some of the success of our current SCORE participants (only 3 are returning in this application, as some have moved on to other individual support--one R01), the program's expectations are being raised leading to the following goals of opportunity: [unreadable] [unreadable] Goal 1: To improve the scientific productivity of SCORE faculty. [unreadable] Measurable objective A: that the publication rate of the participating faculty be increased overall and throughout the proposed project period. [unreadable] Measurable objective B: that all of the continuing program investigators submit an R01 application by the end of the 02 year of funding. [unreadable] Measurable objective C: that 50% of the new participating investigators will have submitted R01 applications, or submitted to an equivalent agency, by the end of the proposed period. [unreadable] [unreadable] Goal 2: To enhance the professional progression of SCORE faculty through the provision of essential research support. [unreadable] Measurable objective D: during the proposed period, non-tenured junior faculty who are PIs on regular projects will make significant progress on each of the measures of productivity (publications and grant submissions), which will enhance their probability of earning tenure. [unreadable] [unreadable] These activities will have a significant impact on the research competitiveness and productivity of a major minority-serving institution. The end result will be to improve the institution's ability to obtain other NIH mainstream funding (R01, R03, etc.) and enhance the research enterprise in general. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]